Zhu Qiyu is telling the truth. The matter of Yu Qian's assassination has been mentioned three times in front of him so far.
The first time was Yu Qian's own memorial. In this memorial, as Zhu Qiyu just said, Yu Qian mentioned this matter, but did not elaborate on it and just passed it by.
As for the second time, when they were discussing the reorganization of the military camp before the New Year, before Zhu Qiyu summoned Yu Qian and others, he received news from a certain young man through Dongchang.
It was not until that time that he realized that the so-called "thieves who sneaked into the General Military Mansion with the intention of poisoning and creating chaos" mentioned in Yu Qian's memorial were really aiming to kill Yu Qian.
At that time, Zhu Qiyu's reaction was similar to that of Chen Yi. While he was shocked that such a major event had happened in Xuanfu, he was also very angry at Yang Xin's behavior of "concealing it and not reporting it".
Therefore, on the one hand, he changed his mind, agreed to Zhu Yi's plan, and turned his attention to Ren Li. On the other hand, he sent Jin Yiwei's men to the Xuan Mansion to interrogate Yang Xin with a secret order.
However, the answer he got was far beyond his expectation...
There was a period of silence in Wuying Hall, and the elders spent a lot of time digesting the news...
If what the emperor said is true, then it means that the person who really concealed the assassination was none other than Yu Qian himself.
Don't say that it was written in the memorial, but it was not mentioned in key points. Such high-sounding words may fool people, but if they are intended to convince people, they are simply nonsense.
Being able to stand in the first rank of the court may be due to chance, but after all, it has been nearly thirty years since Yu Qian became an official.
He would not be unclear about how to write the memorial. To put it bluntly, since Yu Qian wrote it like this, it means that he did not want to report this matter.
Therefore, after a short silence, Chen Yi sighed softly, turned to Yu Qian, and said.
"Yu Shaobao, in this case, you are deceiving Your Majesty about this matter. I would like to ask, why?"
After all, Chen Yi is the imperial censor of Zuodu, and it is his duty to correct and impeach officials. Even if the person in front of him is Yu Qian, he cannot turn a blind eye.
Under the gaze of everyone, Yu Qian's expression was unusually complicated. He did not raise his head, but just arrived.
"Yu did not want to deceive, but the matter was of great importance. Yang Xin only caught a thief, and there was no conclusive evidence to prove the person who instigated it. Therefore, Yu wanted to wait until the matter was investigated clearly before making a report.
"
This reason is not much different from what Yang Hong just said, but obviously, this statement alone is unconvincing.
And, more importantly, if Yang Xin concealed it and did not report it, it can also be interpreted as an attempt to increase the bargaining chip in his hand so that he could use it at the critical moment to help the Yang family tide over the difficulties.
So why is Yu Qian?
As the target of the assassination, Yu Qian himself should be the most angry, and from a standpoint, he had no reason to defend Ren Li.
However, the fact is that it was Yu Qian who stopped this matter...
After hearing Yu Qian's words, Chen Yi frowned and was about to ask a question, but heard the emperor suddenly speak:
"Mr. Yu, are you worried that reporting this matter to me will cause turmoil in the court, start a civil and military dispute, and then affect the Ministry of War's proposal to reorganize the army?"
After the words fell, Yu Qian had no reaction, but a look of understanding flashed in the eyes of several others.
Indeed, although the emperor and Yu Qian often clashed on court affairs in normal times, as long as the ministers who were close to the emperor knew that in the bottom of his heart, the emperor had great trust in Yu Qian.
The return of this kind of letter is inexplicable, even to the point of caring.
In fact, the source of conflict between the Emperor and Yu Qian on certain court affairs was that the Emperor wanted to protect Yu Qian, while Yu Qian himself wanted to press forward.
Therefore, Yu Qian's approach is understandable.
If he reported this matter, the emperor would definitely investigate the matter strictly.
After all, Ren Li held a high position and had the support of a large number of honorable ministers. With the testimony of just one witness, the court was really in trouble. I don't know if Ren Li could do anything about it, but it would definitely cause a fierce backlash from the other party.
At that time, if the other party accuses Yu Qian of deliberately colluding with Yang Xin to frame him in order to suppress the nobles, it will be a completely confusing and bad debt.
Given the status of Ren Li and Yu Qian, the dispute between them will inevitably spread to the entire court quickly.
Once the situation evolves to this point, not only may he not be able to win the gift of appointment, but he may also be counterattacked by the other party. After all, as Yu Qian said, he has no conclusive evidence in his hand.
So actually, this is a time difference issue.
If you report it when you first discover it, then the Ministry of War is not yet ready to reorganize the army. Once you fail to win the appointment ceremony, the subsequent reorganization of the army will inevitably be affected.
However, if this matter is taken out at the right time, it can actually help to organize the army. From this perspective, what Yu Qian made was the choice that was most beneficial to the overall situation.
But, I don’t know if it’s the right choice...
Yu Qian was Yu Qian after all. Hearing the emperor's expressionless question, he didn't even try to defend himself. He stood up and knelt on the ground, saying.
"I, Wan Shi, presumed the holy will without authorization. Please forgive me for your Majesty's punishment."
Again, what Yu Qian did may be a rational approach, but for the emperor, it was a huge distrust, and could even be said to be a disappointment.
Because, all this is based on the premise that the emperor will immediately stand up for him after learning about this matter.
In other words, he firstly did not believe in the emperor's calmness, and secondly, he did not trust the emperor's love and care.
Now that things have been put on the table, it is normal for the emperor to be angry...
However, the strange thing is that all the ministers below bowed their heads and said nothing, waiting for the emperor's severe reprimand to Qian.
However, it has been a long time coming...
Secretly glancing at the Emperor from the corner of his eye, he found that although the old man was looking at Yu Qian with a frown, although there was anger in his brows, he was more thinking.
Zhu Qiyu was indeed a little hesitant.
It's not because he doesn't want to scold Yu Qian, it's true that he trusts Yu Qian, but the one who gets scolded the most by him in the whole court is Yu Qian.
For a moment just now, even though he was a man in two lifetimes, Zhu Qiyu came up with the idea that he was usually too indulgent towards Qian, so that Yu Qian felt that no matter what he did, he would never really punish him.
That's why he is so bold.
However, he soon calmed down.
Not for anything else, just because this time, Yu Qian's attitude was a little abnormal...
He admitted his mistake too quickly!
Among the monarchs and ministers of more than ten years in the past and present life, no one knows Yu Qian better than Zhu Qiyu.
This person, at best, is said to be principled, but at worst, he is determined to have his own way and only believes in what he believes.
What he did was what he felt was right from the bottom of his heart. As the saying goes, a gentleman is magnanimous and a villain is always compassionate. Since what he did was right, there was nothing that could not be put on the table.
Take the last replacement of the commander-in-chief of Miao Zongzong as an example. Yu Qian felt that it was wrong, so he had to fight. Even if the emperor had already made a decision, even if his colleagues openly and secretly advised him not to continue to be stubborn, but he just accepted death.
.
Accepting punishment but not admitting mistakes, this is Yu Qian!
Unless the facts are before his eyes, Yu Qian will never admit his mistake.
However, this time, Zhu Qiyu only asked a question, and Yu Qian admitted his mistake straightforwardly.
This is definitely not because the matter is over, there must be another reason.
Then, Zhu Qiyu remembered that when he was discussing the memorial submitted by the Ministry of War a few years ago, he received the news from Zhu Yi and decided to change the target of the operation from Yang Hong to Ren Li.
It seems that since that time, Yu Qian's reaction has been a little abnormal, and he has been somewhat resistant to investigating the matter in detail.
At that time, Zhu Qiyu only felt that Yu Qian was just rectifying the military camp and did not want to cause trouble. However, thinking about it now, it seems that he was simply innocent and did not want to do anything to Ren Li?
Thinking more carefully, Zhu Qiyu knew Yu Qian, but after more than a year of running in, Zhu Qiyu believed that at least Yu Qian also knew something about him.
It is true that Zhu Qiyu would stand up for Yu Qian when he found out about this matter.
However, he is by no means an impulsive and reckless person. As long as he takes action, he will be sure of it. Moreover, Yu Qian takes into account the overall situation of rectifying the army. Could it be that Zhu Qiyu, as the emperor, would not take this into consideration?
Even if he really wanted to target Ren Li, he would only do so if it would not affect the organization of the military camp.
To take a step back, even if Yu Qian reported this matter to his superiors, as long as he explained the details clearly, Zhu Qiyu would never be in a hurry.
With all this, Zhu Qiyu believed that Yu Qian would not be unclear about it, but he still did not want to say it.
So, what is the real reason?
Zhu Qiyu was filled with doubts and cast his eyes on Yu Qian, who always lowered his head. He became more and more sure of his thoughts.
It is so abnormal for this kind of guilty conscience to appear in Yu Qian!
After pondering for a moment, Zhu Qiyu snorted softly and said.
"What a Yu Qian. It turns out that in your heart, I am such an impulsive and reckless person. You really let me down."
"According to the decree, Yu Qian, the Minister of the Ministry of War, deceived the Holy Listener and acted recklessly. From now on, he will be suspended from his post and return to his hometown to reflect. The Ministry of War will hand over the affairs of the Ministry of War to the Minister Yu Shan."
As soon as the words fell, all the officials present were shocked.
They thought the emperor would be angry, but they didn't expect the emperor to be so angry.
You know, usually, Yu Qian has never been banned, but what words did the emperor use this time?
Suspension for reflection!
This is very different from ordinary grounding. The so-called suspension for reflection, the implication is that if the reflection is not good, then the next step is to be dismissed.
It seems that the emperor is really angry!
At that moment, everyone present looked at each other. First, Chen Yi stepped forward and said.
"Your Majesty, what Yu Shaobao did was indeed inappropriate, but it was also for the sake of the overall situation. What's more, now is the critical moment of reorganizing the army. The Ministry of War must not be left unattended. I implore Your Majesty to take the overall situation into consideration, and punish small punishments but give big warnings. I believe that,
Yu Shaobao certainly did not intend to deceive Your Majesty, he was just confused for a moment, so I would like to ask Your Majesty to hold off your thunderous anger and not be impulsive."
Then, Yang Hong also stepped forward and said.
"Your Majesty clearly understands that this matter is of great importance. It is not difficult to understand that Yu Shaobao was hesitant for a moment. Yu Shaobao is an upright man, and he is sincere to the court and your Majesty. He has no disrespect at all. If your Majesty is angry for a moment,
If I order Yu Shaobao to suspend his duties and return to the government, rumors will inevitably spread throughout the government and the public, so I am bold and ask your Majesty to think again."
At the same time, Li Xian and Fan Guang also stepped forward to intercede on behalf of Yu Qian, saying.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Although you said that Yu Shaobao handled this matter improperly, it has been successfully resolved in the end. Moreover, Yu Shaobao has acknowledged his mistakes for what he did. Your Majesty, you have always been merciful, and the ministers in the DPRK have made mistakes.
You are willing to give Yu Shaobao another chance. Yu Shaobao was just careless, so why not let him continue to serve his crime? If he makes another mistake, he will be severely punished!"
They took turns to give advice, and all the ministers present stood up.
However, Zhu Qiyu was not moved at all. He just looked at Yu Qian lightly and asked.
"Yu Shangshu, are you convinced by my treatment of you?"
Therefore, Yu Qian, who never lived up to his reputation as a master of troublemaking, lived up to everyone's expectations and bowed his head to the emperor under the gaze of everyone and said.
"Reply to your majesty, I deceived your majesty and falsely judged heaven's will. I knew I was guilty and did not dare to defend myself. I was willing to accept the punishment."
"However, the Ministry of War's rectification of the military garrison is of great importance and cannot be left unattended..."
Hearing this, all the ministers present had a glimmer of hope, thinking that this Zai Shaobao could intercede for them, and maybe the matter would be over once the emperor's anger was over.
However, what they didn't expect was that Yu Qian continued unhurriedly.
"As a minister, it is difficult for Yu Shan to control the overall situation. For such a big event, a minister must be in charge, so I am bold and recommend Yu Shiyue, the second assistant to the cabinet, to serve as minister of the Ministry of War on my behalf and take charge of the overall situation!"
…
As soon as he finished speaking, all the elders in the palace were stunned.
Yu Qian, Yu Shaobao, Yu Shangshu, what are you doing?!
The emperor was angry for a moment and said he would suspend you. Why, you backtracked and threatened to resign?!
Angry is not such a way to gamble!
Sure enough, the next moment, everyone saw that the emperor's face completely darkened, and his voice became a little cold, saying.
"Yu Qian, you are so presumptuous. Are you threatening me? Do you think there is nothing we can do about the Ministry of War without you?"
This time, Yu Qian's expression remained as usual and he cupped his hands.
"Your Majesty clearly knows that I have no intention of doing this. It's just that the organization of military camps is indeed complicated and complicated and requires competent ministers to preside over it. Even if Your Majesty is unwilling to use the person recommended by your Majesty, please do not leave the position of Secretary of the Ministry of War vacant until a competent minister can be selected as soon as possible."
He will take charge of the military department."
As soon as these words came out, all the ministers present lamented even more.
Ancestor, can we stop making trouble?
Seeing that the emperor's face was getting more and more ugly, and he was obviously extremely angry, Chen Yi hurriedly rushed to the old man before he spoke, and also prostrated himself on the ground, saying.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. Yu Shangshu is just feeling guilty for a moment. Therefore, having this thought is definitely not disrespectful to Your Majesty. The imperial court is now paying attention to the Ministry of War. If Your Majesty replaces the Minister of War at this time, rumors will spread in both the government and the public. Not to mention the rectification of the army.
The affairs of Tun are complicated and complicated. No matter how powerful the new minister is, he will still need time to get familiar with it and it will definitely affect the implementation of the great government. For the sake of the government, please suspend your anger and think twice before acting."
Several other ministers also followed Chen Yi and came forward to admonish him. All of a sudden, all the ministers in the palace prostrated themselves, and no one stood in the palace anymore.
However, what made them feel heartbroken was that although they had tried hard to find reasons to calm down the emperor's anger, the anger on the emperor's face showed no sign of diminishing.
The old man just looked at Yu Qian quietly, which made him feel chills running down his back.
However, others were extremely worried, but as the person involved, Yu Qian reacted very calmly.
So, in this weird atmosphere, the emperor finally sneered and said.
"Yu Qian, do you really not want to be the Minister of War? In that case..."
This sentence made everyone's hearts pick up in their throats, fearing that the emperor's next sentence would be to remove Yu Qian from office on the spot.
However, the emperor is the emperor after all. Even if he is angry again, he will not be carried away by anger.
So, all the ministers heard immediately, the emperor said coldly.
"Then I don't want you to do what you want. Not only do I want you to continue doing this as the Minister of War, but I also want you to continue to take charge of the rectification of the military garrison!"
"Yu Qian, are you going to give me a pick at this moment? I'm dreaming!"